Opinion

Benjamin Bestgen pours forth on law and wine. It is fair to say that the British enjoy wine. Not only is the UK the fifth largest wine consumer globally. It is also the home of internationally acclaimed wine education and industry organisations like the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and the Insti

Kane Tuohy employment lawyer Triona Cody highlights data protection lessons for employers following a case where a man was filmed outside of work while on sick leave. Earlier this summer, in Philip McCabe and AA Ireland Limited [2024] IECC 6, the Circuit Court awarded €5,500 for damages suffere

Benjamin Bestgen looks at the law and cultural perceptions surrounding suicide. The recent case of Irish citizen Tori Towey’s arrest for being drunk and having attempted suicide in the United Arab Emirates made international headlines. Media reports suggest that she was suffering domestic viol

Dr Deirdre Healy and Dr Marie Keenan call for urgent reforms to prevent years-long sexual offence trials from re-traumatising victims. Bláthnaid Raleigh, who was raped in Galway in 2019, highlighted the adverse impact of delays in the processing of sexual offences on victims of crime, explain

Despite Labour's promise to repeal the Northern Ireland Legacy Act, truth, justice, acknowledgement and reparation for victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence remains elusive, writes Professor Cheryl Lawther. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has ge

Kennedys lawyers Gearóid Corrigan and Sinéad Reilly lay out the issues in an ongoing Supreme Court case over a claim for non-material damages arising from a data breach. Is it necessary to get an authorisation from the Injuries Resolution Board (formerly PIAB) prior to issuing a claim

For the first time ever, cases have been listed for hearing during the Long Vacation. Described as a pilot project, the government has demanded longer court sittings in exchange for additional judicial resources. Killian Flood explains why the move is yet another careless decision taken by the gover

Róisín McGrath examines the continuing barriers to abortion access nearly six years after the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. In 2018, Ireland voted by a majority of 66.4 per cent to repeal the Eighth Amendment (Art 40.3.3 Bunreacht na hÉireann), which legalised abortion up to 1

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC uncovers the grubby and dark reality behind the seven-star image presented by Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Recently, Roscommon woman Tori Towey returned home to Ireland following a traumatic ordeal in Dubai.

Simon Donagh BL, chair of the Irish Criminal Bar Association, writes for Irish Legal News on today's withdrawal of services by criminal barristers. Practising in criminal law is an honour and privilege. Whether prosecuting or defending, the work is an important public service.

In May 2022, the Department of Justice outlined a plan to implement reforms to civil procedures in the courts. In June 2024, with just a year left for the current government, lawyers are still waiting for the reforms to be legislated, writes Killian Flood. In May 2022, the Department of Justice publ

Fieldfisher partner JP McDowell summarises a recent summit on the future of sports regulation in Ireland. I recently had the pleasure of chairing a fantastic panel on the future of sports regulation as part of Fieldfisher’s ongoing seminar series on regulation.

Marian Fogarty takes a comprehensive look at the PPO regime. A Periodic Payment Order (PPO) is meant to provide financial security to a catastrophically injured plaintiff and is (in theory at least) designed to meet the cost of care and therapy needs over the course of their lifetime. In short, a PP

Seán Hurley BL examines a recent EU court ruling involving TikTok owner Bytedance. Bytedance Ltd, the multinational company behind the social media app TikTok, recently sought and was denied interim relief to suspend the European Commission’s decision designating it as a gatekeeper unde

Benjamin Bestgen reflects on arguments for and against the legalisation of assisted dying. In recent weeks, the Isle of Man and Jersey have moved closer to enacting assisted dying laws. Scotland also proposed a bill for debate. The Netherlands, a country with almost three decades of practical a